CHAMOIS AND THAR

Hokitika Guardian, 22 July 1932, Page 8

CHAMOIS AND THAR

STALKING AT MT. COOK.' .INCREASING HERDS. THE HERMITAGE, July 20. Not the least of many successful experiments in acclimatisation in New Zealand has been the introduction of Austrian chamois and • Himalayan th ar, to the Mount Cook region,- and the appearance of 1 numbers of 'bo;h species ’’Within sight of,the Hermitage is cre- : ftting interest among tihe 60 or 70 vis*-' - tors who : hav e .assembled for the championship 'ports meeting to be held on Friday and Saturday.

V The history of the introduction of fh° chamois is interesting. On a vi-sU to New Zealand in 1906, an Admiral of the German Fleet secured a number of skins of the kiwi, the kea, -and other native birds, and upon his return to, ‘Europe presented several specimens to The:- Emperor Franz Josef of Austria. -As .”h expression of 'hV gratitude the ‘Emperor ;sent ,opt- to Njew Zealand seven Austrian ’d'-a-mois, which • were; liberat'd in thp Mount Cook district. These 1 and other chamois imported . a u’ose- : tfii’eritly thrived exceedingly and have miiitiplied, until, now ' they are to be .found in considerable numbersover, a length ofHhe aouthern Alps and ap - odd on e or two have been reported as>far uiorth as'the Nelson .province. i; H GOOD .SPORT FOR, STALKERS. . •' Grazing on- mountain herbs, the -'chamois are usually -to be. found about thi-4000 feet level but often—.part'er-h-ilv iri.-ths.jvjflte}’.—they roam the lower reaches and -a<t; present parries on the route to the Ball Hut frequently sight hfbrds of 10 to, 15. There, ar e many in the , Mueller, , Hooker, and Tasman \'Valleys, aind stalkers using the HerrniVge a.? a base have enjoyed good .sport in recent werikte. Keen of sight and hearing, the-'chamois is difficult to stalk but (is attracting increased ■ attenton from sportsmen. The* hides dross wel 'md like '.he horns, vwfoibji range up to over 12 inches in length, mak e handsome' trophies. The chamois j in the >'Mitb“rn Alps prow to a; greater size ■than in their natural habitat, and ! a good buck weighs from 80 to' 90 pounds. THAR ON .SEALEY RANGE. ’ Himalayan thar, imported l about 1908., have kept pace with the chamois,■ but have not spread over as wide an area of the Alps They are found .mostly on the Sealey Range, preferring -slight’r higher altitudes than the chamois. The thar, also, grows to greater rize here than in Asia .and a good buck will i weigh up to 240 pounds. Thev are se'I dom found in -association with chamois and they herd to a greater extent.